


Promises Made, Promises To Keep

by warmheartseek



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, like literally the tiniest bit of angst, oswald ABSOLUTELY puts ed on pedestal but bitch tf me too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 03:17:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14323386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/warmheartseek/pseuds/warmheartseek
Summary: Hello sweet children, this is my first attempt so please bear with me since academic papers are all I've known...but I had fun writing this!! I wanna do more!! We'll see how this goes!!





	Promises Made, Promises To Keep

**Author's Note:**

> Hello sweet children, this is my first attempt so please bear with me since academic papers are all I've known...but I had fun writing this!! I wanna do more!! We'll see how this goes!!

There was no question of Oswald Cobblepot's affections towards his dearest Edward. The two had faced too much for either to doubt their bond. 

The only issue was, Oswald lacked any capability in how to express that fact. 

Oswald was unspeakably happy in his trust for Edward, elated that the other had accepted his apologies, though Edward had no choice if he ever wanted Oswald to stop beginning every conversation with his amends. They took it day by day, comfortable with the affection they had so easily shown before their fallout, but anything more struck Oswald with an indescribable dread. Of course Oswald found Edward to be the most striking man he had ever laid eyes on, with edges so sharp and defined the terror of Gotham feared he would cut himself should he venture too close. 

So Oswald kept his distance and he yearned from afar.

Oswald’s fingers ached for a closeness to Edward that he just could not fulfill. It was hard to place the feeling that held the man back from something he desired so heavily, though Oswald knew he was much too scared to break something so fragile. Their union, though rooted deeply in their history, could so easily be destroyed should Oswald do something outside of Edward’s comfortability. The few times he had gotten the courage to reach out to Edward, the fleeting feeling of the man’s warmth was enough for Oswald to pull back, much too afraid he would cross a line to address his wants. 

From Oswald’s insecurities bred a fear in Edward that somehow he was not enough for the man who always expected so much. Oswald demanded extravagance and grandeur in the items he surrounded himself with, why not from those he chose to keep in his company? Edward had spent little time focused on his appearance, mirrors were something he kept away from for reasons more than just his little friend that liked to coincide within them. He supposed there must be things Oswald had found favorable about himself, though the thought occurred that maybe Oswald had expected much more than Edward could deliver. Everytime Edward placed his hand within reach of Oswald’s, the other man would quickly pull away. Though Edward’s time in the relationships he had were short, he understood that physical affirmations were supposedly an important part of any romantic cohabitation. 

Yet another night spent at the mansion, Ed’s recovery from a torture artist like The Dentist took longer than either man had expected, though neither had any complaints about the time spent together. Oswald sat comfortably in his loungewear, eyes roaming over a book he pretended to read, stealing glances at the man next to him from his periphery. Edward simply breezed through his fifth puzzle book of the night, his look of focus and the little line of concentration that appeared between his brow was more beautiful to Oswald than any artist could dream to create. 

“You just might exhaust all of Gotham’s puzzle book supply before the night is through.” Oswald teased and looked up from his reading charade. 

A warm smile settled on Ed’s lips, replacing the tight line that reflected his level of focus. Oswald swore he could feel it like sunshine on his skin. 

“Well fates help whoever has to deal with the effects of my boredom should that happen before I am fully recovered.” Edward smiled wider, all brilliant and white teeth. 

Oswald couldn’t help the laugh of endearment he felt rumble in his chest, “I suppose that person will be me, so best slow down while I surmise some way to keep you busy.” 

Edward’s smile faltered, his eyes softened in a way so caring it made Oswald’s chest ache. 

“Thank you Oswald, for being so patient, really you don’t need to waste so much time on me,” Ed’s smiled returned, softer this time,”I’m sure I can take care of myself.”

Oswald felt his stomach twist. How could he make Ed feel he was a burden? 

“Edward Nygma,” without thinking, Oswald leaned forward and placed his hand over Ed’s, “every minute I spend on you is precious, I would hate for you to think for a moment that I would wish to spend my time anywhere else, with anyone else.” 

Oswald noticed the way Ed’s eyes had widened, his lips parted in what seemed to be slight shock. It was then that the kingpin noticed his hand over Edward’s. Oswald stammered some unintelligible apology before pulling back and positioning himself to look anywhere but Ed’s face. Surely he had done it, broken that thin layer of glass that kept their union suspended. 

“Oswald-”

“Please Ed, accept my apologies. I did not mean to-to...”

“Touch me?” Edward looked into the spiral patterns of the couch, he couldn’t keep the hurt from his tone if he wished. 

Oswald finally cautioned a glance at his companion, the dejection in the man’s shoulders was a bitter taste in the back of his throat. 

“Ed?”

Ed met Oswald’s gaze, doing nothing to conceal the pain in his expression.

“Oswald why do you pull away from me like that?” 

Ed could feel his voice falter but swallowed the threat of tears down as far as he could manage. 

Oswald searched desperately for words but everything he wanted to say died on his tongue, how could he respond to a question he had no answer to? 

“I know you demand greatness Oswald and I understand I’m not always worthy of your affections but if that’s the truth then why keep me around? Why let me into your home? Why-” 

Oswald sucked a sharp breath in through his teeth. He could hardly believe what he heard, how he could be such a fool in letting Edward think such horrible things. 

“Ed-”

Still the man rambled.

“Edward!” Oswald leaned forward once more, locking his hands onto either side of his companion’s face,”Please, Ed, listen to me.”

Oswald’s gaze was ice across Edward’s skin. He nodded as best he could with those slender hands on either side of his face. 

“Edward. I do demand excellence, I settle for nothing less than perfection. If I am to have something, it had better be the finest I can aquire. And that is precisely why I ‘keep you around’, Ed. Everything about you is of higher quality than money could buy. I’ll never know who decided I could be so lucky as to ascertain the affections of a man so intelligent, so strikingly beautiful it takes my breath away to behold you. But I wouldn’t give any of it up for the world.” 

Edward could do nothing to stop the determined tears from brimming in his eyes. 

“Oh, Oswald. But,” Edward cast his gaze back to the less interesting pattern of the couch once more, “you still seem so reluctant to touch me, I just-”

“I know, Edward, and I cannot believe how my petty feelings of inadequacy have affected you to this degree.” Oswald closed his eyes against the pained look still plastered on the face he held so dear. 

“You have known love more times in your life than I have Ed, I could only think that I would never measure up to those that have come before me.” 

Edward began to laugh softly, feeling it quickly develop into a fit of giggling. 

Oswald let his hands rest back in his lap, offended by the turn in Ed’s demeanor.

“Well, I didn’t think my willingness to express my vulnerability would be so comical to you.” Oswald huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. 

Edward took a calming breath to steel himself, “Oh no, Oswald, I wasn’t laughing at you, honest.”

Oswald inched slightly further from Ed in an obvious pout but Edward’s long arms caught the man in a tight embrace, Oswald’s arms still folded in a defiant display. 

“Oswald,” Edward cooed, “I am simply amused at the childish way we’ve been going about our relationship.” 

Ed buried his nose into the soft, jet black locks of the man he held and inhaled. He was sure the display would seem abnormal to an outsider, but the lavender scent of Oswald’s feathery hair was inexplicably grounding to Edward. 

Oswald could feel a blush creep up his neck at the show of intimacy, finally he unraveled his self-made cocoon and turned himself in Ed’s arms, gripping desperately at the man’s waist. 

“There are hardly enough words to express my revery but know that you, Edward Nygma, will never want for affection any longer.” 

Oswald moved his pleading grip back to either side of the other man’s face, content to continue cradling Ed’s warm smile in his hands until the end of time. Oswald’s view of the grin he held so dear would be disappointingly short had it not been replaced by the single greatest feeling he would ever know.  
Edward’s soft lips pressed so carefully against Oswald’s, a wordless and hesitant question that Oswald answered by mimicking the motion as best he could. It was clumsy, a mess of oddly tilted lips and noses uncomfortably pressed together, full of an emotion words would fail to convey. Neither man would have it any other way. 

Edward was the first to reluctantly pull back.

“Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, I cannot believe you’ve denied me such a luxury for this long” Ed tutted in mock reprimand. 

Oswald felt the damned blush flood back to his cheeks, he would attempt to hide it had Ed not been holding him so close, there was no question the other man had noticed. 

“Please Edward,” Oswald traced small, idyllic circles on the fabric of Ed’s jacket, “I wasn’t so spectacular.” 

Ed cocked his head in feigned thought.

“I suppose not, but unless I’m mistaken, you did promise much more time to practice.” 

That coveted smile returned to Ed’s lips, just a hint of mischief behind it. Oswald returned his grip to Edward’s waist, the weight of the man’s arms around him more sweet than any finery he could dream. 

Oswald returned the sly grin, “And I do keep my promises, Edward.” 

Fin


End file.
